Dip-net.



No. '77l,362. PATENTED 00T. 4, 1904. J. A. ELLSWORTH.

DIP NET.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 23, 1904. No MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented October 4, 12104.

PATENT OEETCE.

DIP-NET.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 771,362, datedOctober 4, 1904.

Application filed March 23, 1904.

T0 ril/ZZ U17/mnt 7125 muy concern:

-Be it known that I, JAMES A. ELLswoRTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine,have invented new and useful Improvements in Dip-Nets, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in dip-nets, and especially tothat kind of dipnets which are used for removing fish from seines orpounds. It is so constructed that it may be emptied without beinginverted.

In the drawings herewith accompanying and forming a part of thisapplication, Figure I is a sectional view of my improved net, the netportion itself being pursed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the netopen, and Fig. 3 is a top plan View.'

Same letters of reference refer to like parts.

In said drawings, A represents a handle made in the usual form of anysuitable material. Running through said handle is a channel B, open atthe top for a portion of the distance, as seen at B', which channel mayextend the full length of the handle or not, as deemed necessary.Adapted to move in said handle is a rod C, having an angular extension Dthereon. In one end of said rod is a ring E. Attached to said ring is apurse-line F. The purse-line may be constructed of rope, twine, wire, orany other suitable material and may be double or single, as required.Where said purse-line enters the channel is placed a roller G to preventany undue friction by the line and also to prevent it from wearing offas it runs out over the end of the channel. Attached to one end of thehandle in any suitable manner is the usual bail H, carrying thereon anet I. The lower end of the net is provided with a series of rings J orother equivalent device, through which runs the purse-line, saidpurse-line being attached firmly to -one of the rings, so that when adrawing force is exerted on said line the rings may be brought togetherand the bottom of the net closed,V sufficiently to prevent the escape ofany of the fish therefrom. The opening B/ at the topof the channel B isprovided to allow the angular extension of the sliding rod to extendtherethrough. The chan- Serial No. 199,554. (No model.)

nel B is also provided with an angular offset L, which is so placed inrelation to the angular extension in the rod that when the rod isbrought back as far as possible the extension AD thereon fits into saidoffset and holds the rod from running outwardly- In order to prevent thering-bearing end of the rod from going too far out of the channel and atthe same time to enable a purse-line to be properly attached to thesliding rod, I provide a clasp M, attached to the top of the channel inany suitable manner and at such position that when the net is in use therod will be prevented from sliding all the wa7 out through the channel;but when it is desired to attach a new purseline to said rod the claspmay be removed, the rod pushed outwardly and a new line insertedyand therod then brought back to place.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact form of rod or mean sfordrawing in the purseline, because other means, such as a simple linerunning along the handle, may be employed without departing from thespirit of my invention.

The operation of my deviceis as follows: Before the net is used thesliding rod is drawn backward toward the end of the handle opposite tothat on which the net is placed until theextension D isopposite theoffset L. The rod is then revolved on itself untilthe extensionfits'into the odset. This tightens the purseline, draws the ringstogether, and closes the bottom of the net and keeps it closed. The netis then filled with the fish and brought to theplace of discharge.Instead of being compelled, as has been the custom in the past onfishing vessels and at the pound, of tipping the net over the projectionon the sliding rod is released from the offset in the channel, the rodslides outwardly, the bottom of the net is opened, and the sh or othercontents in said net are discharged very easily.

On fishing vessels and especially those vessels engaged in the mackerelor pogie industry, dip-nets of large size are required to remove the shfrom the seines and place them on the deck or in barrels for keeping.These nets have always been of large size and rather difficult tomanage, the nets being capable of carrying from two or three to eightbarrels IOO of lish at one time. The old method oiE emptying the netconsisted in swinging the net onto the deck of the vessel and two orthree men taking hold oi' the bail, inverting' the net, discharg'ing inonly this way the contents. I/Vith this improved device after the iishhave been collected in the dip-net the net can be swung' to any suitabledischarge-place on the vessel, such as over a barrel or over the hold,the catch can be released, and the fish can be dumped very easily andquickly. In using the old-style nets the process 0i' emptying them hasbeen very laborious and has necessitated the employment of a number ofmen, and from the fact that the iish cannot be easily and readily placedin any desired part of the boat many iish are spoiled by being' steppedupon and crushed by the men while handling the net. This is altogetherobviated by using my improved device, and also the services of two mento each net is dispensed with.

The advantages of my improved device are that it is simple ofconstruction, inexpensive, and exceedingly easy to handle and effectivein discharging' its contents.

Having thus described my invention and 4 its use, I claim 1. In adip-net, a handle, a bail at one end, a net on said bail and means foropening and closing the bottom of said net.

2. In a dip-net, a handle, la bail at one end of said handle, a net onsaid bail and means on said handle for opening' and closing the bottomof said net.

3. In a dip-net, a handle, a bail thereon, a net on said bail,purse-lines attached to the bottom of said net and means on the handlefor actuating said purse-lines so that the bottom of said net may beopened or closed.

4. In a dip-net, in combination, a handle, a channel runningtherethrough, a sliding' rod capable of longitudinal movement in saidchannel, a purse-line attached to said sliding rod, a net on saidhandle, said purse-line being' adapted to open and close the bottom ofsaid net.

5. In a dip-net, a suitable handle having' a channel therein, a rodcapable of longitudinal movement in said channel, means for holding'said rod in position in said channel, means for preventing said rod frommoving out of said channel, a net on said handle, a line running'V fromsaid rod to the bottom of said net, whereby the bottom of said net canbe opened or closed by the backward or forward movement of said rod.

In testimony whereotl I have hereto aiiixed my name, in presence of twosubscribing` witnesses, this 19th day of March, 1904.

JAMES A. ELLSVORTH.

In presence of- NA'rI-IAN CLIFFORD, MAnIoN RICHARDS.

